Abstract

Permanent hypoparathyroidism is a rare, yet life-altering complication of thyroid and parathyroid surgery. However, the advent of parathyroid cryopreservation, and subsequent autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue, revolutionized the management of this devastating complication. However, cryopreservation of parathyroid tissue is not widely performed due to the rarity of utilization, the potential high costs, and need for specialized expertise. Furthermore, studies have shown that the viability of the parathyroid tissue is diminished after 2 years, raising more debate about need for cryopreservation. In this chapter, we evaluate data justifying and contradicting the practice of parathyroid cryopreservation.